Which term describes Review of Systems, a systematic approach to uncovering additional symptoms the patient may have?

• A. Procedures
• B. Diagnostic tests
• C. ROS
• D. Admission orders

Answer: (C)

A structured Review of Systems is the systematic set of questions used to uncover additional symptoms across all body systems that the patient may not think to mention. This approach goes beyond the chief complaint by actively probing for symptoms the patient might not bring up spontaneously, helping to reveal issues like cough, fever, fatigue, weight changes, or numbness that inform diagnosis and treatment. It’s distinct from procedures (actions performed), diagnostic tests (lab or imaging studies), and admission orders (hospital instructions), which serve different roles in patient care. So the term describing this approach is the Review of Systems, often abbreviated ROS.